Udinese goalkeeper Daniele Padelli has defended Nigeria's Maduka Okoye amid the club's difficult Serie A campaign this season.

Okoye has come under intense scrutiny over his performances for Udinese, having conceded 25 goals and kept just one clean sheet in 11 appearances this season.

Padelli, however, believes Okoye is being unfairly made a scapegoat for the team's poor performances this campaign.

“In these situations, you look for a scapegoat. It’s happened to everyone; it happened to me too. Against Venezia, however, the most decisive goalkeeper for the result was Stankovic,” Padelli told TV 12, as quoted on Udinese’s official website.

“We’re trying to build a team identity, not focus on individuals. If they score, you struggle mentally, the spaces open up even more, and you struggle more and more.

“We’re not doing everything poorly; we’ve created some things, but the ball is now very important. If the team isn’t playing well, even the individuals struggle. We need to get out of this moment of mental fragility; we need a breath of fresh air.”

WDN